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Topic: BROWN family line in Selkirk (Read 3071 times)

I have hit the wall researching my Brown family line.I have managed to establish that my 4xggrandfather, David Brown, was born approx 1751, whereabouts unknown. He married Margret Dobie 10/3/1777 in Selkirk and he died 22/8/1834 in Selkirk. He is buried in Aulk Kirkyard Selkirk and on his headstone he is described as a 'portioner'. My understanding is that a portioner is an owner of land previously divided amongst co-heirs. That being the case, there is a fair chance that he inherited property from his father; can anyone offer any suggestions as to how I would get a copy of the will. I notice on the marriage reg that James Brown of North Sinton is named as a cautioner. Maybe that was David's father but I have been unable to find any record of him.Any assistance would be much appreciated.Bill Brown

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I'm in the same predicament with my Walker line from Selkirk, and have been asking myself the same question about the cautioners named for two 18th century Walker weddings; the marriages of a father and his son.

In both cases, the cautioner for the bride was irrefutably her father.

In the earlier marriage (1738), the groom's cautioner is a George Walker, so could be the groom's father. Moreover, George would most likely have been the groom's father's name in accordance with Scottish naming practice; a practice that the Walkers appeared to have followed to the letter. However, George's occupation was a very different one.

When the son of the groom from 1738 married himself in 1778, his cautioner had a different surname.

Based on Scottish naming practice, would you expect David's father to have been called James? Did David and James have similar occupations?

You may be interested to know that I have the poll tax list of 1694 for the whole of Selkirkshire. There were only eight Brown (Broun, Broune, Browne) families recorded, i.e. eight male heads of households.

JustinL There are a few Walkers buried in the Auld Kirkyard at Selkirk.Possibly the one you might be interested in is Andrew Walker ,Mason died 1777 aged 71yrsyrs wife Margaret Dun daughter of George Dun, builder and burgess died 1779 aged 48yrs also Agnes Walker born 1803 aged 21yrs Margaret Walker born 1803 aged 1 yr George Walker born 1814 aged 3yrs Mary Walker born 1809 aged 67yrs. There is a Charles walker born 1-12-1787 died 2-2-1798 .Also Margaret wife of John Henderson died 20-6-1760 AND ANOTHER"Stone slab. ANDREW C .WALKER 1863—1863""HELEN C. WALKER 1865—1868""JANET D. WALKER 1871—1872""JANE D. WALKER 1867—1868""JAMES WALKER 1872—1873"

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